Translator: StarReader
Boom!
The explosion shook all of Drifting Flowers City, houses crumbled and turned to dust.
Drifting Flowers Edifices’ main hall had calm and wise women handling everyday’s affairs but they were now crying in panic.
Grandmother, pale and weak, lay on the floor, rocking to the explosion’s rhythm. The odd bump into the ground of her head had her frowning and opening her eyes.
“Aunt Tao, Grandmother’s awake!” Peony Overseer perked up.
Drifting Flowers Edifices’ head alchemist, Tao Danniang, rushed over, “Grandmother’s injury is stable, but…”
“What?” Peony Overseer asked.
Tao Danniang sighed, “Removing the Rainbow Cloud Palm’s poison is beyond these wrinkled hands’ ability. They alone hold the antidote!”
“W-what do we do now?” Peony Overseer asked, “Pill King Hall is right outside our gates. Are we supposed to go out there and grab one to force an antidote out of them?”
Everyone shook their heads from how powerless they were.
Pill King Hall was already strong by themself, but now in the three house coalition it would be even tougher for Drifting Flowers Edifices to deal with them. Going out now was plain suicide.
Iris Overseer smiled, “Peony, don’t be nervous, Pill King Hall had a monopoly on the Rainbow Cloud Palm’s antidote until now. Did you forget how Zhuo Fan deciphered the antidote at the Hundred Pill Meeting, curing Grandmother, Aunt Tao and many of our sisters. Even their top alchemist, Vicious Pill King is now under the Luo clan. And with him as an ally, there’s no need to fear any poison!”
“Yeah, we just have to get in touch with them and Grandmother will be fine.” Aunt Tao nodded, relieved.
She felt like having Zhuo Fan as an ally was the best thing that ever happened to them. The Rainbow Cloud Palm squeezing on them every minute of every hour was now a thing of the past.
Peony Overseer pouted, her face unnatural, “But that prick stole our precious heirloom. How can we trust him? “
“It will be great if he returns it. But if he doesn’t…”
Grandmother’s faint voice trailed off weakly. Then she came to a decision and spoke firmly, “All we can do is move on. If Drifting Flowers Edifices is to survive, we need to compromise. We need allies like him the most right now. What is the point of getting the treasure back only to find a city filled with corpses?”
All became pensive.
Their respect for Grandmother was growing.
Grandmother had earned the respect of all houses for a reason. And for the same reason she kept Drifting Flowers Edifices afloat all this time. As a house lord, she had to have the mind and eyes that went beyond the scope of the common man, with vaulting ambition and steel resolve.
Always thinking long term and never nitpicking on the details.
And in their final hour, Drifting Flowers Edifices needed allies the most. They couldn’t throw away Zhuo Fan over some Bodhi Root.
It was the same as cutting off one’s legs!
“So you want to lean on Luo clan?” Peony Overseer pouted, still against it.
Zhuo Fan stole their stuff yet they still turned to him for help? Wasn’t that like asking a thief for asylum?
Drifting Flowers Edifices’ name would be dragged through the mud, her sisters’ as well.
Grandmother smiled in reply, “Yes, Zhuo Fan had made us a promise back when he was in trouble. We can rely on him. Now that he is one of the big players, he is our support. It’s all just a repaid investment, ha-ha-ha…
“Peony, you usually go off the deep end and are frank. You are kind at heart, but not suited to be the Edifice Lord. As the one bearing the responsibility of Drifting Flowers Edifices, one has to be flexible and set your gaze beyond the present moment. A useless thing like reputation will only drag us down.” Grandmother shook her head.
Peony Overseer blushed, knowing her own defects as well.
“What was that large noise just now anyway?” Grandmother turned to the rest.
They all shook their heads.
Someone burst in tears, “Grandmother, overseers, the three Venerables…”
“What about the Venerables?” Grandmother asked frantically.
Sniffing, the girl wailed, “The Venerables self-destructed to deal with Huangpu Fenglei!”
“What?!” Grandmother shuddered then spat blood, tears streaking her face.
“Grandmother!” The others panicked.
Grandmother waved them off, “It was my mistake to lead them to their doom. If only I heeded the Luo clan’s warnings and retreated, they would’ve been alive and wouldn’t have died in vain.”
“Grandmother, the only one to blame is Zhuo Fan. He betrayed our trust first. We could never overlook this transgression!” Peony Overseer advised.
Grandmother shook her hand, talking after a pause, “The three Venerables’ death is on me. But we can’t bicker over Drifting Flowers Edifices’ calamity. What about Huangpu Fenglei, what’s going on outside?”
“Grandmother, Huangpu Fenglei is badly hurt and has withdrawn from battle. Yan Bogong and the others are attacking our barriers while sisters are pushing them back. They can hold on for the time being.”
“Regent Estate’s High Venerable? What about the Regent Estate itself?” Grandmother asked.
The girl shook her head, “Grandmother, there’s no sign of them.”
“That means Regent Estate isn’t involved!” Grandmother squinted, “Overseers, join the defenses and never attack, only resist. Guard Drifting Flowers Edifices and wait for our allies!”
“Understood!” Everyone bowed.
Meanwhile, Yan Bogong, Lin Rufeng and You Wanshan attacked the city for three months.
Although three houses united was a force to reckon with, Drifting Flowers Edifices’ defenses were like a steel wall. Even after all this time, they had only punched through 26 barriers, with dozens more to go.
How many years would that take?
“For god’s sake! I should’ve just brought all my Venerables!” Lin Rufeng panted, peering over the city and at the mountain in the distance, “What the hell is Regent Estate and those rotten Divine Dragons doing? They decided on this attack, yet now they are taking the backseat while we risk our necks? What’s so scary about Drifting Flowers Edifices anyway? If we’d all pitch in, it’d be over and done with by now!”
“Calm down.”
You Wanshan advised, “Sir Leng said we’re baiting the aid. While we have Drifting Flowers Edifices on the ropes, they’ll attack the reinforcements. I heard Veiled Dragon Pavilion and Sword Marquise Abode’s forces have been beaten back many times already.”
“Humph, Regent Estate can handle those guys with a modicum of effort. What’s the point of having all of them in the back as support?” Lin Rufeng mocked.
Yan Bogong shook his head, “House Lord Lin, don’t say that. They aren’t much hassle, true, but what if Zhuo Fan comes?”
Rumble!
Lin Rufeng’s face fell and his voice was cut off.
On the day of Luo clan’s ceremony, they all witnessed its power and glory. Besides the abomination dubbed Zhuo Fan, they had ten elders, each stronger than the next, violent and savage.
Not even Regent Estate wanted to pick a fight with them.
Lin Rufeng waved his hand, “Let’s just keep attacking.”
You Wanshan and Yan Bogong chuckled inside. You Wanshan slapped his chest in full confidence, “Worry not, the city will soon fall. My three Venerables are coming in two days. With Radiant Stage experts clearing a path for us, their guarding array will be no obstacle!”
You Wanshan beamed with pride.
[Want to break Drifting Flowers City? Only we can do it.]
Yan Bogong snickered.
“With Valley Lord You’s home a wreckage, you don’t need Radiant Stage experts to defend it. While our men are just too homesick to leave, ha-ha-ha…” Lin Rufeng mocked.
You Wanshan’s face fell.
It cut him deep, each time he was reminded of the ruined Hell Valley. What he wanted was to get merit in this battle and earn Regent Estate’s compensation. But Lin Rufeng and Yan Bogong, the bastards, had to poke where it hurt.
[Humph, you’ll see! Zhuo Fan will take good care of your shacks just as well. We’ll see who’s laughing then.]
You Wanshan’s mind was filled with malicious curses…
